Top speed 246 km/h Wingspan 9.75 m Weight 804 kg | Range 443 km Length 6.85 m | |
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Engine type Pratt & Whitney Wasp series Manufacturer Hall-Aluminum Aircraft Corporation | ||
The Hall XFH was an American fighter aircraft built by the Hall Aluminum Company. It was the first fighter with a semimonocoque metal fuselage.
Contents
Development
The XFH was designed in 1927 by Charles Hall. It was a single-bay biplane with N-struts for the fabric-covered wings. Its fuselage was made of steel tubing covered with a watertight aluminum skin, enabling it to float if ditched in the ocean. Also for ditching on water or on land, the landing gear could be jettisoned. Power was provided by a Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial engine. Testing in June 1929 showed poor handling characteristics and performance. During one test flight, the upper wing separated from the aircraft. After repairs, the XFH made test flights from an aircraft carrier. Designated XFH by the Bureau of Aeronautics, it was purchased not for active service, but to study new metal construction techniques.
Specifications
Data from Angelucci, 1987. pp. 256-257.
General characteristics
Performance
Armament